September 2011

The Joint Commission added a new twist to its annual report on hospital quality and safety.
The recently released 2011 report, Improving America's Hospitals, recognizes top performing hospitals and critical access hospitals that use evidence-based care processes with positive patient outcomes. It is especially relevant with the shift in business models... Read More

Research suggests the cognitive functions of some patients decline following general anesthesia and surgery. Referred to as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), the effects range from mild to long-lasting.
The International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) presented a special focus on POCD in its May 2011 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia. The articles... Read More

Transparency is the name of the game for health care's future outcomes-based business model. No program demonstrates that better than the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program.
What once was only a reporting of hospital performance has evolved into the basis for Medicare reimbursement. In order... Read More